Naruto, A New Villain
by Jdumoulin
Summary: During the time of the Shippuden. Naruto's hope to bring back Sasuke. The Akatsuki and Orochimaru joins with to get Naruto for some nefarious purpose. And Neji has a new Byakugan, a Dark Byakugan, given to him cruely by torcher from a new girl in Akatsuki
1. The First Act

This is the first chapter of a fanfic that I plan to write. I hope you enjoy!

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****The First Act**

"Um, what's 7+3?" Naruto asked, sitting on a rug in Shikamaru's living room.

"You don't know that?" he asked, disbelieving. He was sitting in a chair at the table, resting his chin in the palm of his left hand. "It's ten."

Naruto scrambled the number down and tapped his pencil on the table. "Eh, Shikamaru?" he spoke.

"What?" Shikamaru groaned.

"What's this sign?" Naruto asked.

Shikamaru leaned over and took the paper, looking at it. Sighing, he handed it back.

"You're such a drag, Naruto." Shikamaru complained. "It's a square root sign."

"Oh... So what's the answer?"

"9,"

Naruto nodded and wrote it down.

"And next, what's 7 + 8 / 4 - 27 4 + the square root of 9 - 3/3 + 3 squared 7 (8 + 4) - 92?"

Shikamaru twitched, and then sighed. "Don't you have spare paper?" he asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Then work it out,"

"But Shikamaru! I _suck_ at math!" Naruto complained.

"Oh fine, just don't whine please, it's a drag." he informed.

A few seconds went by, and then Shikamaru said, "567."

Naruto nodded and wrote it down.

"Next?" he muttered.

"Alright," Naruto said. "3.14 3.41 13,019,234 divided by 12,347 8 + 15 - 1,804,351 235 - 135,425 squared 10 to the fifth power + 1 - 12,438,723, 562,956,918,723,847?"

"Gah!" Shikamaru exclaimed. "I can't answer that!"

"Why not?" Naruto frowned.

"Because it makes my brain hurt to think about it! I'd need a calculator, with like a hundred digit slots! I'm not _that_ smart!"

"But if you can't, then who can?" he whined.

"No one, Naruto!"

"Kakashi-sensei's gonna kill me though!"

"Why do you have math homework anyway?"

"Kakashi-sensei says its good training for the mind."

"What a drag, he's _messing_ with your mind, Naruto, that problem would take forever to do by hand, and like a minute and a half on an extremely good calculator."

"But, if I don't answer it properly, then he'll make me walk around Konoha in my underwear!"

_That's... sick and perverted,_ Shikamaru thought in disgust.

"And embarrassing," Naruto mumbled, as if he read Shikamaru's thoughts. "And technically, he can still do it, since I'm still a freaking gennin."

"Heh, guess he can. Hmm, don't know how to help you, Naruto."

"Come _on_! There has to be a way?!"

"Uh... I guess I could, er... um... the only way I can think of to help you is to transform into you and do it myself, but I don't really want to do that." Shikamaru answered.

"Yeah, guess you shouldn't,"

"I'll tell you what, I'll try the problem, but don't get mad if it's wrong," he ordered.

Naruto nodded, and watched as Shikamaru thought over the problem, sighing several times. His mind drifted off and he thought of Sasuke, wishing that something involving him would appear.

"-12438725396950405155993.07385982." Shikamaru muttered. "That's the answer." He took Naruto's paper, and wrote the number down. He went to hand it back to Naruto, and saw him looking out the window sullenly. "He'll come back, sometime, Naruto."

"No, he won't," he replied. "That's why I have to force him to come back, or at least become stronger than him."

"Personally, Naruto, I think you already are."

Naruto looked at him, and smiled sadly.

"Then I wish I believed that," he mumbled.

"Naruto, you're only as strong as you believe you are, so believe you are stronger. Sasuke couldn't do half the things you do, and your heart is bigger."

"Is it big enough to save him, though?"

Shikamaru paused, then sighed. "It should be,"

"Shikamaru!" came another voice. the door burst open to reveal Ino and Chouji. "Lady Tsunade needs you right now!" Ino finished, looking guiltily at Naruto.

_Why's she looking at him like that?_ Shikamaru wondered. "Ino-"

"It involves the Akatsuki and Orochimaru," Chouji interupted. "Tsunade-sama needs your help."

"We'll be right there," he answered.

"Sorry, but Naruto can't come," Chouji said. "Tsunade said no gennin allowed... especially him."

"What?! Come on! I'm stronger that a gennin! Why can't she just promote me?! I'll never become a Chuunin at this age!" Naruto fumed.

Shikamaru sighed.

"You can come, Naruto. But don't do anything dramatic, or you'll get both of us in trouble." Shikamaru warned.

"And to think that she excludes me personally, the insult-" he stopped and his eyes lit up. "I can come?"

"Yeah,"

A trumpet sounded.

"She only uses that in _extreme_ emergencies," Ino gasped.

_Must be a big emergency,_ Naruto thought. _There have been quite a few bad ones, and she hasn't used it._ He looked back out the window. _Thank you, whoever is watching over me, for allowing this to involve Sasuke. I'm coming to save you Sasuke, no matter how._

"Come on!" Shikamaru ordered, setting off at a run towards the Hokage's building.

_This is such a drag,_ Shikamaru thought. _First Naruto's practically impossible math problem, then this. Will I ever get a brake?_

They shoved their through the doors of the Hokage's building and into Tsunade's office.

Assembled where Team Kakashi, Team Gai, Team Asuma, Team Kurenai and Jiraiya.

"I'm he-" Shikamaru froze, looking at the man on the floor, leaning against Tsunade's desk for support. Sakura was bended over him, trying to heal his rapidly bleeding wounds.

Surrounding them on their knees were Gai, Lee, and Ten-Ten, who held his free hand gently seeing as he screamed in pain at the simplest touch. He was barely recognizable under all the cuts and gashes in his body. Scars stretched down his face in three, deep thin lines and blood splotched his very pale skin. His eyes were closed and he breathed deeply, sweating blood. There seemed to be a deep hole in his stomach, and deep claw marks in his bare chest. The shredded white shirt lay beside Sakura. His hair was coated in red stains and clumped together. And bandages lay on his lap, revealing a cursed mark on his badly cut up forehead.

"N-Neji! What happened?" Shikamaru asked in shock.

"Akatsuki and Orochimaru," Tsunade answered, looking at Naruto, whose eyes were wide in shock.

"Wh-what did they do to him?" Naruto asked in a whisper.

"We don't know that," she answered. "He's unwilling to answer with anything but their names."

"And you want me to figure out a way to get this information from him, correct?" Shikamaru asked.

"Correct,"

"Hmm," he frowned, thinking.

Naruto shrugged and walked over to Neji.

"Naruto! Stay put!" he ignored Shikamaru's outburst.

Naruto pushed Ten-Ten away gently, and kneeled beside Neji.

"Oi, Neji," Naruto said.

"Naruto-" Sakura began.

"Ahh!" Naruto exclaimed, backing up in shock, falling on his rear when Neji had opened his eyes.

Once he reached the back wall, he closed his eyes and breathed deeply, sweating heavily. Once his breathing calmed, he dared to open his eyes and was aware of everyone but Neji's eyes on him. This fact, the fact everyone was looking at him with worry, made him start to hyperventilate again.

"Um, Naruto, what's wrong?" Kiba asked. Akamaru barked in unison.

Naruto lifted his hand and pointed at Neji, shaking.

"What Naruto?!" Tsunade barked. "What's the matter?"

"N-Neji's eyes were... all... all..."

"All what, Naruto?" Jiraiya pursued.

"All... black and... _all_ black. And cold and evil... and," he looked down at his lap and breathed in deeply. "There was no sign of life in them, and it sent a shiver down my spine."

He stood up, seeing the shock on everyone's face. This time he expected it, so there was no surprise when the eyes focused on him.

"Oi, Neji," he repeated. And the eyes looked at him.

He could tell that he should be more afraid than he was, that something was seriously _wrong_ with the way Neji looked at him, with his _eyes_. But his eyes didn't look at him with the pain of hurt, but of the pain of betrayal.

"N-Neji..." he muttered.

"Your assumptions are correct," Neji muttered. "And they betrayed me back,"

"You... betrayed us to the Akatsuki and... Orochimaru?" he asked almost silently.

"Yeah, sorry,"

Naruto looked at Neji, tears of anger in his dark blue eyes.

"You bastard!" Naruto shouted. "How could you do that to us?!" He jumped up and yanked Neji up by the collar.

"Naruto!" Sakura cried.

Everyone else looked at him in surprise. They hadn't been able to hear the beginning of the conversation, for they were too silent.

"Did you seriously think that they would help you?!" he continued. "Why did you do it, huhn?! Orochimaru is a cruel ass, and the Akatsuki only want _me_! Why would they help _you_?! Why did you do it?!"

"They wanted you," Neji muttered. "They asked me to help."

Naruto was struck silent. Why would Neji do that to him? Weren't they supposed to be friends, or at least well enough not to betray each other?

"Do you hate me that much?" Naruto mumbled, dropping Neji. "So much that you would try and help them get me?"

"They promised not to destroy Konoha!" Neji screamed.

Naruto was struck silent again. Konoha...?

"They promised me that they wouldn't kill everyone! It was a fair enough price! After all, you would have given yourself up to save everyone!" Neji went on.

"That's different!" Naruto bellowed. "It's different if I give myself up next to someone betraying me! Yes, I would have given myself up, and you could have just come and told us, told me! Then it would me alright."

"You don't get it, Naruto!" Neji pleaded. "I did say no!"

Naruto went silent as everyone else looked at them with mixed expressions of anger, fear, and shock.

"I told them to go fuck themselves, actually!" Neji shouted. "I told them I wouldn't help them get shit! That I wouldn't betray my friends, that I wouldn't betray you! Do you seriously think that I would, that I _could_, betray you like that? Do you seriously think that I'm out of my mind _that_ much? Destiny or no, whether it is real or not like you said during the Chuunin Exams, I still wouldn't betray you, even if I _had_ to. I'd never betray you, it doesn't fit me. I don't want to be even close to Sasuke in that!"

On a normal basis, Naruto would have been pissed that Neji talked that way about Sasuke, but the words caught and held his attention.

"I'm... sorry..." Naruto muttered. "Now I feel even more like an idiot..."

Neji just adverted hsi gaze, his eyes still black. Then he seemed to remember his condition and began to feel the pain once more. He screamed out in pain.

"What's up with your Byakugan?" Naruto asked.

"What? The black Byakugan?" he asked through clenched teeth. "I-I'm not so sure. It's something that some girl with the Akatsuki did to me. I've been in pain for three days."

"Three days?" Naruto asked, surprised. "So you hadn't gone on a personal mission..."

"Oh, no, I did. They ambushed me, and I couldn't get away. They were all there, Akatsuki, Orochimaru, Kabuto and-" he broke off, seeing Naruto's hurt expression. "Well, they ambushed me, killed the man I was escorting to the Sand Nation, and... tortured me. The girl did the hand signs of Ox, Dragon and Snake and said some words I can't remember. Then I was in pain so horrible. This," he motioned at his body as Sakura silently began to try to heal him again. "I think I did this myself... I-I don't know how though, I can't remember much. But the girl had said something to... Sasuke... Well, Sasuke asked what the girl did and she said something that sounded like, 'Dark Byakugan.' I-I have no clue what that means, but it's something I'll have to look into after we leave here."

"I don't think you'll have the time." Shizune interrupted. "Lady Tsunade..."

They all turned to look out the window like Shizune.

"Damn it!" Tsunade screamed, slamming her fist into her desk, leaving a dent.

Naruto's eyes were wide in fright. They had come to get him... Akatsuki and Orochimaru. He watched as Orochimaru's deadly snake destroyed building after building, watched as fire rose into the sky. Listened as screams began.

"Tsunade-sama-!" Ebisu ran into the room with several other Jounin.

"Get Konohamaru, and the others, Ebisu and have them escort everyone to safety. Same goes to you other four Jounin. We're in a number one emergency as we speak."

"Right!" the Jounin and Ebisu ran out of the room.

"Shikamaru, come up with a plan to save us!" she ordered.

"Yes ma'am," Shikamaru squatted into his thinking position.

"Gai, Lee, Ten-Ten," Tsunade continued. "Take Neji somewhere safe!"

"But I want to fight them-" Neji began.

"Go!" she screamed.

Gai picked up Neji, to Neji's disgust, and ran out of the room with Ten-Ten and Lee.

"Kakashi, go to the scene of the battle and try and stall the enemy, everyone but Naruto, Sakura, Shikamaru and Jiraiya go with him."

They nodded and left.

"Sakura, I need you to go to the battle and heal as many people as you can." Tsunade informed.

"Right, I'll get my things and go right away!"

She started packing her things up in her bag, then left.

"Jiraiya, take Naruto away from the town immediately,"

"Yes-"

"No!" Naruto screamed. "Sasuke is here! I want to fight!"

"You're in danger-"

"I don't care! I'm staying!"

"I'll take him right away," Jiraiya assured.

"No!" Naruto yelled. "No, I'm not going anywhere away from the town!"

"Just go, Naruto," Shikamaru ordered. "It'll be fine. And be quiet, I can't concentrate."

"Sorry,"

"You're such a drag, Naruto," he sighed.

"Come Naruto," Jiraiya ordered, walking toward the door.

"Oh fine," he hissed, following.

When the door shut behind them, they began to run.

"Good show, Naruto!" Jiraiya complimented.

"Thanks," Naruto laughed. "Let's do this!"

They ran outside.

"This is where we part, Naruto. I have to go and stop Orochimaru. Find Sasuke and be careful." Jiraiya said.

"Right! Nothing's stopping me from keeping Sasuke here," he replied.

"That's the spirit, Naruto!"

They nodded to each other and then ran in different directions. He didn't know where to start, but he'd begin his search closer to the North gate, where they came in. He jumped ontop of the roofs, still running.

_I'm coming, Sasuke,_ he thought to himself. _You're staying here this time._

He stopped on top of a house and his tummy growled.

"Ah man," Naruto groaned. "I'm hungry!"

He had to ignore it, however. He was quite sure no one would be opened now. He should have eaten before he went over to Shikamaru's, but he had been so anxious to get the math homework done. Now he realized that it probably wouldn't matter whether it was finished.

He prepared to jump to the next building when he heard feet shifting from several meters behind him.

"Looking for me?" came the familiar voice.

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Naruto© Masashi Kishimoto  
I don't own Naruto, but I wish I did:)  
The ideas here are mine, if you wish to borrow an idea, just ask!

I hope you enjoyed my story. If you enjoyed it, please comment, thanks. I plan on uploading the next chapter soon!

Next time on Naruto, A New Villian: The Beginning

The battle rages on! Neji's new Byakugan releases some of its powers, and Naruto's fight to bring Sasuke back begins!


	2. The Beginning

~_He prepared to jump to the next building when he heard feet shifting from several meters behind him._

_"Looking for me?" came the familiar voice._~

Naruto froze, rooted to the spot by the feeling of eyes boring into the back of his head. The voice chilled him, and even though he had been searching, he was shocked to find that he was actually here.

"What's the matter, Naruto? Scared?" he asked.

"S-Sasuke," Naruto stuttered.

He snorted.

Slowly Naruto turned around, facing his old friend, eyes wide.

Sasuke shifted his sword in his hand.

"So, Naruto, what did you want?" Sasuke sneered.

Naruto shuffled his feet nervously.

"Um... what's the matter with Neji's eyes?" he stalled.

"Oh," Sasuke's eyes widened noticablly. "Dark Byakugan. It's a specialty of Yin's."

"Yin?"

"The new Akatsuki girl," Sasuke blushed and averted his gaze to his sword. "She's... well, I... That's her specialty."

"What's Dark Byakugan?" Naruto asked, not perturbed at all by Sasuke's expression.

Sasuke looked up, relief evident on his face. "Byakugan, the White Eye, the Evil Eye... Now it _is_ the Evil Eye. I feel for Neji."

"You... _feel_ for him?... Why?" Naruto asked. "What's so bad about a new eye technique?"

Sasuke laughed a single, harsh laugh, and look at Naruto with his cold Sharingan eyes. " what's so bad about it? Do you really think Yin, an Akatsuki member, would give an non evil person a powerful, _good _technique?" he laughed again, and it chilled Naruto to the bones. "No, it's pure evil, maybe even stronger than Sharingan, even Mangekyo and definitely more powerful then a regular Byakugan. Did I say _feel_ for him? No, I meant _envy_ him."

"You..._ envy _hum?!" Naruto screamed, though not knowing exactly why he was suddenly so mad.

"Think of it, Naruto. The strongest Eye Technique available, able to conquer nations, able to kill so easily. Even you, _you _Naruto, can say you wouldn't want it too."

"I don't!" he bellowed. "Neji was in pain for three whole days! _Excruciating_ pain! Are you that cold-hearted, that don't even have an _ounce_ of pity for him?!"

Sasuke remained silent, and Naruto saw that he made a point.

"What does it do, anyway?" Naruto asked.

"It harnesses the power of evil, and mixes it with your chakra, churning it. The process only takes a few seconds, and it's always activated, but you can activate an even stronger one by activating it like the normal Byakugan."

"W-what does it do?"

"It differs for everyone, or so Yin told me. But the constant strength rivals the Tailed Beasts." Sasuke answered. Naruto gasped, and Sasuke continued. "It has the power to destroy and conquer. It generally-"

"It generally kills the user," a voice finished.

Naruto turned to see a female of immense beauty standing behind him. He gawked at her angelic face and long, flowing, silky black hair. His gaze lingered on her full, lushous, blood red lips and her penetrating violet rimmed eyes, which dimmed, as they came in the middle, to white. He yanked his attention to the rest of her beautiful body, and saw she wore an Akatsuki robe that fit her form and showed off every curve that a woman could ever dream of. The neck of the robe was high in the back, and came low in the front to eventually close at her waist underneathe one of Orochimaru's purple rope belts. Naruto saw that the girl didn't wear a shirt under her robe, and the opening in the robe showed a lot of cleavage.

Naruto tore his gaze away from her and turned to see Sasuke's face was bright red, but not from anger.

"Hey, Y-Yin," Sasuke stuttered.

The female walked over to Sasuke and smiled.

"Hi Sasuke," she greeted in a voice that was only fit for angels, and Naruto was shocked about how this girl could possibly be evil. She turned towards him. "The Dark Byakugan has killed every user yet, none are strong enough to handle it."

"Then why'd you use it on him?" Naruto growled.

She smiled at this. "Because I think he's the only one who'll be able to use it, to live."

"Why do you care though?"

"We're not attacking this village for any petty reason, you know? We have a purpose to our actions," she responded coldly, and the sound was like the cracking of ice. "We don't attack on a whim, we attack when we're ready or have a purpose, we're not stupid like Konoha."

"Konoha's not stupid!" but the shout didn't come from Naruto.

"Excuse me Sasuke?" Yin asked furiously, whipping around to face im. "Did you say, 'Konoha's not stupid,' or did I hear something else?"

"I-I... I s-said... Konoha's n-not... they're stupid," he reluctantly agreed.

"That's what I thought," she hissed, turning back to Naruto, who was staring at Sasuke. "We want to use that boy as a weapon."

"A weapon for what?!" Naruto shouted over a loud explosion to the east.

"A wepon to conquer, obviously. The Akatsuki will rule the world, once he's ready. Orochimaru will be betrayed, with the exception of Sasuke, who we've already taken into our ranks."

Sasuke smiled weakly at her.

"Except his revenge seeking will ruin us," she commented.

"Not once he's dead," Sasuke growled. "He won't defeat me once I've fought him!"

"Oh yeah right," she sighed.

"That son of a bitch won't be able to touch me!"

"If he's a son of a bitch, so are you," she mocked.

"Yin!"

"What?" she asked innocently, batting her eyelashes in a flirting way.

"Why would you want to rule the world?!" Naruto screamed.

"You know, I'm getting sick of your questions, boy," Yin hissed. "You better shut the hell up or I'm really going to make you into a bloody pulp and let Hidan have his way with you,"

"Just try it!"

"Naruto," Sasuke interupted. "What had you wanted?"

"Oh, um... You're coming back to the village, Sasuke!"

"I'm in the village, dobe."

"Oh, yeah... well you're staying!"

"Just try and make me, Naruto,"

"You know," Naruto growled. "Sasuke-teme, you're going to really regret not staying the easy way,"

"So you think,"

---

Gai laid Neji gently down, against a boulder away from Konoha.

"Are you alright, Neji?" Gai asked softly. Neji nodded roughly, biting his bottom lip to stop himself from screaming. "Stay still and don't move much, you're hurt too much."

"I-I'm perfectly... fi-" he broke off into an ear spliting scream as he doubled over and clutched his head in pain.

Gai nodded and stood up, looking at his other two students. "So," he said, "what should we do now?"

"I guess we should just wait until someone comes and tells us it's safe to come back," Ten-Ten sighed. "There isn't really much we can do, is there?"

"We can run around our area one thousand times!" Lee suggested enthusiatically.

"Um, not a good suggestion," Gai conceded. "Besides, Neji's in no shape to move a muscle, and we can't leave him here."

"But Neji needs to excersise! Maybe that is what is wrong with him! He is getting too lazy and fat!"

"Shut up!" Neji shouted. "I'm still stronger than you moron, and I'll be lazy if I want to!" He started coughing.

"Is he sick?" Lee wondered aloud.

Ten-Ten sighed, shaking her head in disappointment. "Didn't you listen to anything is Tsunade-sama's office? The Akatsuki did something to him, you idiot."

"Oh..."

Gai rolled his eyes at the argument that persued this about whether or not Lee was an idiot. He sat down next to Neji, leaning his head back and closing his eyes wearily. He didn't get much sleep the day previously, because Kakashi and him were fighting.

He almost didn't notice the searing pain on his left side, and he looked over to see Neji clutching his head in agony, blood seeping from under his fingers.

"Um, Neji?" Gai said. Ten-Ten and Lee stopped arguing and looked over to their teammate.

"I-It hurts," Neji gasped.

"W-What does?"

"My head, it feels like it's going to explode,"

Gai stood up and backed away as the heat emmitting from Neji's body increased tenfold.

Neji screamed out in pain as he slammed his back into the boulder behind him, sliding down it until he was laying on his back. He flipped over onto his stomach, writhing in agony.

"Stop it! Stop it please!" he shouted.

"Neji!" Ten-Ten shouted, starting to run forward. Gai and Lee both stuck out their arms in front of her, to prevent her from going forward, while backing up as the heat reached them.

_What's happening?_ Gai wondered in wide-eyed terror.

---

"I'm keeping you in this village, Sasuke!" Naruto shouted.

"Come on, then, make me," he ordered.

Naruto ran at Sasuke, his fist pulled back.

Sasuke sttod still, and at the last moment caught Naruto's fist. He leaned in and whispered in his ear, "moron," then shoved, sending Naruto flying across the rooftop.

As Naruto regained his balance, preventing himself from falling off the roof, he saw Sasuke pull out his sword.

"Need any help, Sasuke?" Yin asked.

"No, I can handle him," he replied. "Come on, Naruto! I thought I was staying here?!"

Naruto growled, "you bastard! You _are_ staying here!"

"Oh, I am, am I? No one would except me back here anymore, especially after today,"

"Yes they would! Do you have any idea how long we've been looking for you?! How hard everyone's tried to find you?! How hard I've trained so I could keep you here?!"

"You can't have trained that hard, if you're still so weak, Naruto," Sasuke sneered.

"I only punched you once!"

"I only caught your fist once, without moving. You're still too slow."

Naruto growled and his eyes turned red.

Sasuke gasped in shock, then recovered. He shifted his possition slightly, until he held his sword comfortably.

"Yin," he said.

She nodded and stepped forward, recognizing his call. She closed her eyes and became still.

Naruto dropped on his hands and knees as the red Fox Cloak enveloped him. Two tails had grown instantly.

"You're staying here, Sasuke, even if I have to _tear_ you arms and legs off!" Naruto screamed.

"Huhn," Sasuke snorted.

As Naruto began to charge at him, Yin opened her eyes.

---

"Stop it!" Neji screamed.

"Do something!" Ten-Ten shouted.

"Like what, Ten-Ten?" Gai asked. "I have no clue what's going on."

They watched in horror as long claws broke their way free of Neji's knuckles, stretching out to over seven inches. Large black wings erupted from his back, extending out three feet and as tall as him, a claw mounting each one, tears throughout the wings.

Neji's scream worsened, and it sounded as if it were torn from his throat.

"Neji!" Ten-Ten screamed.

Then a black cloak seemed to seep from him, glossing him raven black.

"Neji!" Lee exclaimed.

Gai's eyes widened even more than before.

"Get back!" a voice yelled from behing them.

Gai turned to see Sakura, Jiraiya and Hizashi Hyuuga running towards them.

"What about Orochimaru?" Gai asked Jiraiya as he came up.

Looking solemn, Jiraiya answered with, "he's not the biggest threat," his eyes were on Neji.

"What's happening to him?" Ten-Ten asked wildly.

"The Dark Byakugan," Hizashi explained. "It was suppose to be a forgotten technique, but apparently not."

"What does it do?" Lee demanded.

"Well, this is the stage where we see if he can live," he answered. "And if he does, he'll be a weapon of mass destruction for anyone that controls him... he'll be stronger than a tailed beast."

Everyone remained silent, listening to Neji's screams and desprate pleads to some unknown force to stop his pain.

"So... he could die?" Ten-Ten finally asked.

"I'm here to prevent him from dying," Sakura explained.

"And you?" Gai asked Jiraiya.

"I'm here to prevent his from killing," Jiraiya answered grimmly.

"Killing?" Lee asked on horro.

"Yes, he could kill any of you so easily. The worst part is he wouldn't even know,"

_Just liek four tailed Naruto, _Jiraiya added to himself.

Neji screamed again as the heat of his body hit their still retreating fprms.

Sakura screamed as Lee pulled her backwards to prevent her from getting burnt.

"Stay back, Sakura-chan," lee warned.

Sakura nodded, slightly blushing as she realized Lee's arms were around her protectivly.

"Do something, Jiraiya," Hizashi prdered. "Use the seal,"

Jiraiya nodded and reached into a pocket, pulling out a piece of paper that said, "seal," on it. He ran at Neji and dodged the claws that came up at him just in time.

Neji was standing in less that a second later, all expression gone from his face.

His features scared Sakura, and she shrieked. Lee, still holding her, held her even tighter.

"I will protect you, Sakura-chan," he promised. "Do not worry,"

She nodded, trying to relaxe in his arms.

Ten-Ten had backed up into Gai, who pulled her behind him defensivly.

Jiraiya moved as a claw came at him once more. He was too slow, and got a large gash on his left side.

"Neji's so fast," Sakura gasped.

Lee just nodded silently.

As Jiraiya went to slam the seal on Neji's forhead, Neji moved. He was behing Jiraiya not a second later and swung a claw at him once more.

Too slow yet again, a claw ripped down Jiraiya's back.

"Jiraiya-sama!" Sakura screamed.

Neji's head flicked toward her, and she yelped when he was immeaditaly in front of her, the heat searing her flesh.

Lee began to pull her backward quickly, but the added weight slowed him down just enough foe Neji to make a move. Neji's hand wrapped around Sakura's wrist, yanking her out of Lee's grip.

"Sakura!" Lee yelled, pulling back a fist. Roots shot out of the ground, wrapping themselves around his wrist.

"Lee!" Sakura bellowed, struggling unsuccessfully to get free as the hear burned her.

"Sakura!" Gai shouted, running towards them with Hizashi. A wall of roots came up out of the ground and prevented them from coming closer, but allowing them to watch.

"You bastard!" Lee screamed, trying to break free of the roots that now wrapped his body entirly. "Let her go!"

As Jiraiya came up behind, Neji jumped, spreading his wings, and pulling Sakura up with huim.

She screamed as they floated twenty feet in the air, held up only by Neji's wings.

"Put me down!" she cried, still struggluing.

---

Naruto froze, five meters from Sasuke and Yin.

"Move, Sasuke," Yin ordered. "_Before_ I undo my Time Freezing Justu."

Sasuke nodded and sidestepped.

"Let's have some fun," Yin smiled evily.

"Don't hurt him too much," Sasuke ordered in a vocie that had a slight plea to it.

She frowned,m but not from Sasuke's words. Her eyes smoldered in fury. The Time Justsu removed itself, all without her help, and Naruto had changed course, a fist puching Sasuke in the face, hard.

Sasuke grunted and tumbled over, skidding across the roof and falling off. He gripped the ledge just in time and pulled himself up.

"Damn," Sasuke hissed.

---

"I hope Yin isn't overdoing it," Kisame sighed.

Him and Itachi were sitting on a high ledge, overlooking Konoha from a safe distance away. They were the only two that didn't go to join the fight. Itachi had refused and Kisame offered him company.

"She'll be fine," Itachi informed. "She's a strong girl."

"Pissed that you're not the youngest Akatsuki member any more?" Kisame taunted.

"Hell no, but if anyone touches Sasuke I'm going to demand their head on a silver platter."

"That's unlike you," Kisame chuckled.

"Oh shut up, or go join the fight like you wanted to," Itachi growled.

"Aren't you grumpy today? And I didn't really feel up to killing Leafies today."

"Meh, good for you,"

Kisame sighed and turned his head back towards Konoha, watching Manda destroy buildings for Orochuimaru. "I'm gonna kill that bastard," he murmered. "It's all his fault,"


	3. The War Continues

**Chapter 3, The War Continues**

_~"Don't hurt him too much," Sasuke ordered in a voice that had a slight plea to it._

_She frowned, but not from Sasuke's words. Her eyes smoldered in fury. The Time Justsu removed itself, all without her help, and Naruto had changed course, a fist puching Sasuke in the face, hard._

_Sasuke grunted and tumbled over, skidding across the roof and falling off. He gripped the ledge just in time and pulled himself up._

_"Damn," Sasuke hissed.~_

Naruto had moved quickly, and Sasuke dodged the punch just in time. Breathing deeply, he brought his foot up and kicked Naruto hard in the abdomen. He didn't even flinch.

_Fuck,_ Sasuke thought. _I hurt myself by trying to hurt him. His movements are too fast for my Sharingan to catch!_

"Afraid Sasuke?!" Naruto growled.

"Afraid of what? I've fought worse," Sasuke sneered. "You don't even compare to what I've seen."

Naruto just growled and attempted to snatch Sasuke by the wrist. Cursing his stupidity, Sasuke jumped backwards in a rush, narrowly avoiding Naruto.

_I've got to think of a way to defeat him, or I'm dead, _he realized. _Yin can't hold him with her Jutsu, but maybe with a different one. Let's just hope other Konoha nin don't appear, on a normal basis I could handle many of them, but not with Naruto like this. There has to be some way..._

Naruto lunged at him, and Sasuke ducked. He had the advantage right now, so he brought his fist up in contact with Naruto's jaw. He missed. Then he attempted to kick him out of his way. He missed. Pulling back, Sasuke watched from the edge of a building as Naruto glared at him.

_Just as I thought,_ he contemplated. _Naruto's immune to Tai, what about Nin and Gen...?_

As fast as he could, Sasuke made the hand seals for Chidori. Then he ran at Naruto, who just stood still as Sasuke ran. Slamming his fist in Naruto's stomach, he went flying backwards. Yin, faster than Sasuke could stop himself from falling off the building, had caught him just in time.

"You okay Sasuke?" she asked. Nodding, Sasuke sat up, wiping his forehead of the sweat.

_He's fast, and definatly impenatrable, _he realized. _He's immune to Tai and Nin. Only Gen is left..._

"Yin, what's you Time Jutsu classified as?"

"A form of Nin and Gen, why?" she asked.

"I need you to use an all out Gen Jutsu on Naruto," he answered.

Smiling wickedly, Yin stood. "My pleasure."

Watching Yin yank up the sleeves of her robe, Sasuke added, "but don't kill him."

Frowning, she looked down at him with puzzled eyes.

"Why not? I want to give the little bastard a piece of my mind for daring to ask dumb questions."

"Pein wants him alive, if at all. He never said dead," he informed her. "Hurt him as much as you will, but don't kill him."

She sighed. "Fine,"

She shoved her hands, palm forward, at the direction of Naruto. Sasuke saw nothing happen, but knew he wouldn't.

_Let's hope this works,_ he pleaded.

---

The loud explosion sounded, sending a cloud of smoke cascading over the village center. Breathing deeply, Kakashi backed up behind a building before the smoke cleared, hiding from his enemies.

"Damn," he muttered. "Nothing is ever easy,"

At the second a hand was placed upon his shoulder, and he froze.

"Don't look so tense, Kakashi-sensei," the voice came. "It's only me,"

Kakashi sighed in relief, and looked over to him.

"Hey Shikamaru," Kakashi greeted wearily. "Does this mean you have a plan?"

"I think so," he answered.

"Shoot,"

"Alright," Shikamaru looked around the corner cautiously. Leaning back, satisfied, he continued. "Okay, so Akatsuki and Orochimaru have teamed up. This will be extremely hard to defeat. They brought themselves, and some kind of army as I'm sure you've seen," Kakashi nodded. "Alright, with my past experiences with Akatsuki, I've learned they're not to be taken lightly, as I'm sure you remember. They have insane powers. Now, some of them have been taken out, so that leaves us with less of a pain. We only have to worry about seven of the ten Akatsuki members; the leader, Itachi, that Kisame guy, two others I've seen running around, and a female with Pain, and one with Sasuke, fighting Naruto. He's doing good, Naruto is," he added at Kakashi's worried expresion. "So don't worry. Now, several of our people aren't in town; like Gai, Lee, Ten-Ten, Neji, Sakura, Hizashi Hyuuga, and Jiraiya; so the plan was harder to come up with. Then there's those who are too busy with others to help, like Shizune, Naruto, and Kurenai. Then there is those who we can't endanger, in other words, Tsunade can't help, her life's too important. So we're left to only a handful of people, who we need to find; Ino, Chouji, Shino, Kiba, and Hinata; which isn't many people.

"Once we find the other five, I'll explain the plan." He finished.

Kakashi nodded. "Let's find them,"

---

"Hinata!" Kiba yelled,as Akamaru snapped at the man coming from behind her. "Be careful! You should have been able to see him!"

Hinata looked over, breathing hard. "I... I know, but I'm getting a little tired,"

"A little? Then you have more stamina than me, because I'm exausted!" Kiba sighed. Than he looked around. "Okay, we're clear," he plopped himself onto the ground, laying on his back.

"Um... shouldn't we... uh... go help the others?" She asked, twidling her fingers. Akamaru sat on top of Kiba, who too in a sharp breath of air in pain, pushing at him.

"Oh, come on," he whined, finally managing to get Akamaru off his chest. "Just a little break?"

"No time," another voice came.

Sighing, Kiba sat up. "Got a plan, Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru nodded, and extended a hand to Kiba, who took it. Pulling him up, Shikamaru said, "Kakashi's getting the others, unless we find them first. We're to meet him at the foot of the Hokage Monument."

"O... Okay," Hinata nodded.

"Alright then," Kiba dusted himself off. "Let's end this thing, I need to sleep, these army guys are outragously strong."

"If you think they're strong, than wait until you fight Akatsuki," Shikamaru responded. "Now, let's move out,"

---

"Let me go!" Sakura screamed again. "Please Neji! Just drop me!"

"Sakura!" Lee cried, his voice hoarse.

Jiraiya took a deep breath and began the summoning process. Less than a minute later, Gama Bunta appeared on the scene, nearly landing on Lee.

"Hey!" he bellowed. "Do you mind, Jiraiya-sama?! I do not want to be crushed!"

"Oh," Jiraiya's head peeked over the edge of the toad. "Sorry, forgot you were there..."

"Oh go and get Sakura!" Gai shouted.

"Mean," Jiraiya sighed. "Okay, Gama..."

"What do you want Jiraiya?" Gama interupted, nearly knocking the unsuspecting Jiraiya off.

"I was about to say what!!" Jiraiya yelled, straightening himself. "Okay, Gama," he paused, suspecting an interuption. "Okay, Gama, we need..."

"SAKURA!!" Lee screamed.

"Yeah," he sighed. "What he said." He pointed toward Neji. "He's gone wacko,"

"You put it so nicely," Gama muttered.

"Yeah, whatever. Have you heard of Dark Byakugan?"

"Yes, a long forgotten technique that was used to destroy millions of people across the world in an ancient war, thousands of years ago... Why?"

"Um... I didn't know that... Well... apparently you know more than me, if you know that much. Well, Neji has it... right now... and I can't catch him!"

Gama sat down with a rumble of ground, making Lee shout again. Contemplating, he said, "he has the forbidden eye technique?"

"Yep,"

"Hmmm... that's suppose to be forbidden..."

"Well no duh!"

"Shut up, I'm thinking. Who gave it to him?"

"An Akatsuki member, now come on! We have to stop him... _NOW_!"

Gama didn't move, he just continued to sit.

Jiraiya sighed as he waited for Gama to finish whatever he was thinking.

---

Itachi suddenly stood up.

"Itachi, what's wrong?" Kisame asked, looking up at him.

"I'm going to kill Yin if she's doing what I think she's gonna do!" Itachi hissed. He started running for the city.

"Itachi!" Kisame bellowed. "Wait up!"

---

Naruto watched as Yin's hand movements became nearly impossible to read.

_I won't let you keep Sasuke,_ he said to himself. _He's going to stay, no matter what I have to do. Sasuke, you teme._

Sasuke's eyes found Naruto's as he watched in growing shock something Naruto couldn't figure out.

_Sasuke, why is it so important that you get revenge? Why? You have a family, Konoha's your family. We'd do anything to get you back, because you're part of our lives, why can't you see that? Sasuke..._

"Yin!" Sasuke shouted as the girl's hand seals were complete.

Naruto had never heard of Gen having hand seals, unless this wasn't Gen...

"Yin, don't!" Sasuke screamed. "Wait!!"

Naruto watched as everything seemed to come in slow motion. Yin's hand glowed a dim orange, Sasuke stood and ran at him. As Yin's hand came at his heart, everything seemed to go back into fast paced motion. Sasuke was suddenly in front of him, and Yin's hand hit Sasuke over the heart. A shriek escaped Sasuke's lips as he fell to his knees.

"Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed, falling beside him. "Sasuke!" The Fox Cloak seeped back in of it's own accord. "Sasuke, answer me!"

"Naruto," he muttered. "Move."

"What-"

"Move!"

Yin's hand was glowing orange again.

"Don't worry, this isn't meant for the fox boy," Yin hissed. "It's for you Sasuke. You're a monster, because you protected a monster."

"He's not a monster!" Sasuke growled.

Naruto's eyes were wide, he couldn't believe what was happening... That Sasuke saved him...

"Go Naruto, I don't want you to watch," Sasuke gasped.

Naruto shook his head. "No-"

"Go! You have to! You know you have to Naruto! You're the only one who can - Gah!!" Yin had kicked him in the stomach.

"Sasuke!"

"Go boy," Yin hissed. "He's correct, you _don't_ want to see what I'm about to do to him."

"I'm not leaving a friend," Naruto growled.

"Naruto! Go!" Sasuke pleaded. "She won't miss her mark this time!"

"No."

"Have it your way," Yin said.

Her hand went for Sasuke's heart.

Naruto's grip tightened on Yin's glowing hand. She looked over at him, surprised. He was standing behind Sasuke, looking into her eyes with a vehement glare.

"You're not touching him," Naruto hissed. Sasuke stared up at him, just as shocked as Yin.

"Phft," Yin spit, recovering from her shock. "So how'd you stop me boy?"

"The Will of Fire," he answered. "And because I believe. I won't let you touch him."

"And you think you can stop me twice?" she scoffed.

Naruto's grip tightened more, and she flinched. "I don't need to."

"And why not?" she gasped.

"Because you can't touch him again."

"Naruto," Sasuke muttered. "Let her have me, before you grow to regret it."

"Yeah, listen to him foxy."

"No," Naruto hissed. "I don't let _anyone_ hurt my friends! And that includes you!!"

She stared at him in surprise.

Then Sasuke started coughing up blood, and fell forward in agony.

"Sasuke!" Naruto cried.

"I'll handle him," came another voice. "I'll heal him."

Naruto and Yin looked sideways to see Itachi and Kisame. Itachi had spoken.

"Itachi-"

"Yin, shut up," Itachi growled. "I won't let you harm him any more."

He walked over to his brother and kneeled beside him.

"Sasuke," he muttered. "Look at me."

Sasuke did as told, looking into his brother's eyes.

The next second the wound on Sasuke's chest started to stitch itself back up. He gasped in relief as the pain subsided.

"Heh, good-bye suckers," Yin growled, pulling away and disappearing.


	4. Dark Byakugan

It's finally done!!!! Sorry for the long wait! To make up for it, I have made it long like requested! Enjoy!

* * *

_~Sasuke started coughing up blood, and fell forward in agony._

_"Sasuke!" Naruto cried._

_"I'll handle him," came another voice. "I'll heal him."_

_Naruto and Yin looked sideways to see Itachi and Kisame. Itachi had spoken._

_"Itachi-"_

_"Yin, shut up," Itachi growled. "I won't let you harm him any more."_

_He walked over to his brother and kneeled beside him._

_"Sasuke," he muttered. "Look at me."_

_Sasuke did as told, looking into his brother's eyes._

_The next second the wound on Sasuke's chest started to stitch itself back up. He gasped in relief as the pain subsided._

_"Heh, good-bye suckers," Yin growled, pulling away and disappearing.~_

Naruto stared at the place where moments ago Yin had been. He swore he'd see the end of her. First she messed up Neji, now she almost killed Sasuke... How many other people would she hurt? And for what further reason than to take over the world with Orochimaru and Akatsuki?

Naruto was taken out of his reverie when he turned Itachi stood, his robe shuffling about the ground with the movement.

"Where are you going?" Naruto asked calmly.

"Away," Itachi spoke.

"Itachi," Kisame spoke, his voice slightly worried. "We can't go back to Akatsuki... Yin will tell them what happened..."

"He's just my brother, they'd understand," Itachi replied, turning around to leave.

"But, they... _I_ don't think they would Itachi..."

"Yeah, but you're just a stupid washed up fish, Kisame. Come on."

"Itachi... Let's face it, going back isn't a good idea. Besides, Deidara hates you, he'd jump at any occasion just to put you at shame. And... and... and now Yin hates you, and Orochimaru will have a say once more like the old days. And he _really_ doesn't like you. And... and... hmmm..."

"That's three against five, I win," Itachi said.

"Four, Itachi." Kisame muttered.

Angry, Itachi snapped around on him. "What? You'd vote against me, Kisame?"

"Woah, Itachi," Kisame put his hands up warningly as Itachi advanced on him. "I didn't mean four to four, I meant three to four, I wouldn't vote--"

"Because you're afraid that they'll kill you, huh? So you wouldn't help me?!"

"No, I wouldn't vote because I wouldn't be going!" he said hastily.

"Oh," Itachi seemed to calm down.

Naruto eyed the pair of them warily. He'd never imagined that Itachi would get so angry over something... he always seemed so calm...

"But if I did have to vote, I'd vote against you," Kisame mumbled.

"What?!" Itachi shouted.

"Oops, meant to think that, forgot how good Uchiha ears were..."

"No, you mumbled that pretty loud, even I heard you," Naruto said.

Itachi looked at him, then back at Kisame triumphantly.

"See? Even he heard you, you great big ass! You are too stupid! Now, why, Kisame, would you vote against me?" Itachi seethed with anger.

"B-B-Because I wouldn't want you to stay... Because I don't think Akatsuki's right for you Itachi..." Kisame stuttered.

"What?" Itachi said, startled.

"I don't think that Akatsuki's the right thing for you. You aren't very... You aren't very... You aren't very evil..." he answered.

This seemed to shock Itachi. Naruto ignored it, looking at Sasuke, you was sitting up.

"Heh, don't make me laugh," Sasuke hissed. "Itachi not very evil? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. He's more evil than all of you."

"Sasuke," Naruto said. "Don't strain yourself."

"Bah, leave me alone, idiot," Sasuke growled, standing up. He tripped and almost fell forward, but Naruto caught him. "Kisame, Itachi's more evil than you could possibly imagine. You weren't there, you didn't see what he did, even if you know, you didn't see it happen."

"Sasuke, calm down," Naruto ordered. "Turn your Sharingan off."

Unconsciously, Sasuke did as told, but he still glared at Itachi with supreme hate.

"You want to know why I killed our clan, Sasuke?" Itachi whispered, closing his eyes. "You want to know why I only spared you? And do you want to know who my accomplice was?"

Sasuke let out a grunt of shock. "Accomplice?" he croaked. "You mean you didn't do it alone?

"No, I didn't do it alone..." Itachi muttered. "Do you wish to know, little brother?"

"I... I don't know..." Sasuke stuttered.

"It's a simple question. Do you want to know the real reason behind why I killed the clan? Or do you wish to keep your peace of heart by hating me, to be kept in the dark?"

"I... No... I don't wish to know..." Sasuke replied.

"What?" Itachi looked at him, surprise showing on his face. "Why not?"

"Sasuke," Naruto spoke. "This is your chance to find out why he betrayed you, who helped him... and you don't want to know?"

"No," he muttered. "I know it was because of some stupid feud between the clan and village. Am I right?"

"Yes," Itachi answered.

"Than no, I don't wish to know."

Itachi was speechless. He opened his mouth several times to reply, but no words would come out, so he finally closed it. He stared at his little brother in disbelief, searching for what he was thinking.

Sasuke had, however, decided the matter was over, and turned to Naruto, saying, "Are you sure Konoha will welcome me back?"

"Of course, or we wouldn't have searched for you forever!" Naruto exclaimed. "I mean, there may be some distrust in the beginning, because of you leaving and all, but in the end it will all be forgotten!"

Sasuke didn't respond at first. He stood staring at his sandals, pain contorting his face. Finally he looked up, staring at the now silent Naruto with near to wet eyes.

"Are you sure?" he muttered.

"Of course," Naruto replied softly, staring at his friend. "And if by any chance they don't I'll make them."

"Okay," Sasuke said. "I'll... stay."

Naruto beamed in pleasure. Finally, after such a long, hard time, his friend was back to stay. Naruto swore with a fiery vengeance in his head that he would not let a single person from Konoha hurt Sasuke.

"Come on Kisame," Itachi spoke.

"Huhn? We're leaving already?" Kisame frowned. "Don't you want to stay?"

Naruto and Sasuke looked at Itachi, waiting for his answer.

"While they'll accept Sasuke back, Kisame, they'll NEVER accept me back," Itachi informed.

"But if you tell them why you killed the clan... the can't continue to be mad at you forever... It's not your fault," Kisame spoke.

"And tell me, Kisame," Itachi turned to him. "If you were the Hokage, and an Akatsuki member who killed off his whole family at a young age for a reason unknown to you, came and said, 'I killed my clan because' and 'Can I come back to live here,' would you believe them? Or would you attempt to have them arrested and killed?"

"I guess I'd arrest you..." Kisame muttered.

"Exactly," Itachi whispered. "Why would this one be any different?"

"Because she understands better than the rest," Naruto spoke. "I don't know what this problem is between you two, but granny-Tsunade would understand it better than anyone."

"Would she now?"

"Itachi, maybe you should try," Kisame said. "You never know what would happen. And if all went wrong, you could always-"

"'Always what,' Kisame? Run? Fight? Tell the damn bastards that ordered me to kill them to speak up?"

"O-Ordered?" Sasuke stuttered, shock showing on his face. "You were... ordered to kill our clan? Who?"

Itachi turned his gaze on Sasuke, staring him down until the younger one looked away.

"The Hokage's advisors... and the Third." he replied.

Sasuke fell to his knees, dumbfounded, as Naruto glared vehemently at Itachi.

"Don't tell him such lies!" Naruto shouted as explosions sounded to the north. He was quite surprised as to why nobody had attacked any of them yet. Either Yin hadn't informed Akatsuki of Itachi, Kisame and Sasuke's betrayal, or they were waiting to see what he would do. "Out of all three of them, the Third would never order-"

"What if our clan was evil?" Itachi interrupted coldly. "If you were Hokage, and the top clan in the village planned a coup de'etat, would you allow them to take over? Or would you order them killed by their strongest family member, who agreed with you about the clan being bad?"

"I-I don't know..."

"Well, you better, because if you ever do become Hokage, than you're going to have to make choices like this one that could very well mean the village's well being, or its destruction."

Naruto stared down at his feet, ashamed. So that was what had really happened to Sasuke's family... they wanted to take over Konoha.

"Come on, Kisame, let's go before Akatsuki finds out about us," Itachi spoke, turning.

"Wait!" Sasuke exclaimed. Itachi froze in mid-step. "If you were ordered to kill them off. does that mean...?"

"That I didn't hate them? That I wish I could have been the older brother you had been looking up to?" He paused. "Yes. Yes, I didn't hate them, and yes I wish I could have stayed with you longer. Come Kisame."

"So we're not going back?" Kisame asked, following Itachi.

"No," he responded.

"Itachi!" Sasuke suddenly shouted out. Itachi stopped, hearing the desperation in his younger brother's voice. "Y-You're defiantly... leaving...?"

"Yes,"

"And... the Clan's death really isn't... your... fault...?"

"Correct,"

"Then... I've been searching for revenge all this time... but you didn't... do anything... I went to Orochimaru damn it!" Sasuke broke out in a scream. "I went to Orochimaru to get power because I wanted to kill you, but it wasn't your fault!! Why would you let me believe that? Why didn't you order the Third and his advisors to tell everyone so you could stay with me!?" Sasuke's eyes filled with tears. Furiously, he rubbed at them, not wanting to cry. His voice was chocking as he went on, "I went for almost eight years thinking my brother was evil and wanted me dead too, but it was all a lie! I made everyone in Konoha hate me from being arrogant, and then betraying them, and all for nothing! I thought that the man I loved the most never loved me!" Sasuke couldn't stand wiping his eyes anymore, so he let the tears run down his face freely as he watched is brother face away from him, unmoving. Kisame and Naruto stared at Sasuke sadly, letting him rant on. "You made me hate you! Damn it, Itachi! I've been living hating you for almost eight years, and all for nothing! Why would you do this?!"

"So you could grow strong. Hate makes you strong, pride makes you weak," Itachi mumbled. Sasuke vividly remembered overhearing a conversation between his father and brother when he was younger, and remembered his father telling that exact thing to Itachi.

"Damn it! You're not our father!" Sasuke screamed. In an instant he was behind Itachi, pulling him around to face him. Itachi's eyes were wet too. "Do you seriously think that making me hate you would make me any stronger than letting me continue to love you?! You were the man I wanted to become!" Itachi flinched at Sasuke's words. "I wanted to be as strong as you! I wanted to be like you! I wised every day you would help me achieve that goal, but you were always too busy! So I trained myself, in the hopes I could make you proud! That I could become as strong, possibly stronger, as you, so you would be proud of me! You played my role of brother and father! Because father never paid any attention to what was happening with me!"

"That's not true, he was just busy-"

"Plotting the fall of Konoha! Admit it, Itachi, he didn't like me all that much! He ignored me! He never knew when my academy events came up, he was always too busy telling you how to get information on Konoha that would help him, he was too busy doing loads of crap! And I looked up to YOU! Face it, Itachi, staying would of made me just as strong, no, stronger, than I am now, because, no matter my age, I would've wanted your praise." His voice weakened by the end, it was almost inaudible. His eyes lowered to the ground as he asked, "Why didn't you stay?"

"Sasuke..." Itachi muttered, looking at his younger brother's depressed form. "Stop beating yourself-"

The next thing Itachi knew was that Sasuke's arms had locked around him. He stood frozen, looking at his brother's sobbing form, and moved his arms slowly, hesitantly, down to around Sasuke's back. Squeezing him tight, he looked at Kisame, who smiled reassuringly. He had to admit... It felt pretty heartwarming to be holding his brother again.

Naruto smiled, he enjoyed seeing Sasuke being happy. Not only was Sasuke back, but Sasuke had found the real reason why is Clan was murdered, and now he didn't have to hate Itachi again or be tempted to leave Konoha again.

"Sorry," Sasuke murmured when he pulled back off his brother. "But I couldn't help it, I was so upset the whole time I thought you were evil." Again Sasuke's eyes filled with tears.

Itachi smiled, something that Sasuke had missed since he was younger. "Don't apollogize. I didn't mind."

"Do you... really have to... leave?"

Itachi looked over at Kisame, who nodded as if to tell him he should stay. He looked back to Sasuke's pleading face.

"Well..." Itachi mumbled. "After all of that... I guess I'd be a pretty big ass if I left, huh? But I can't leave Kisame alone."

"I'll be fine-"

"Oh don't lie, you stupid fish," Itachi said. "You'd be alone and wanted by Akatsuki and Orochimaru, and more importantly, Yin."

Sasuke blushed at the name.

"Ah, yes, I forgot," Itachi looked at his brother and grinned knowingly. "My poor brother is helplessly in love with Yin."

"I am not!" Sasuke protested.

Naruto looked at them, all the while thinking, _If you're staying Sasuke, I suggest you don't let Sakura know that..._

"Don't lie to me, I remember the way you jumped in front of her when I was going to kill her." Itachi spoke.

"I don't like her."

"Correct, you don't, you _love_ her."

"Do not!"

Itachi shook his head. "You know, Sasuke, Yin doesn't like you anymore, right? Since you stood up for Naruto?"

"That's okay... I think her and Deidara like each other, I caught them kissing once and freaked out."

Itachi started laughing, and Sasuke smiled.

"That idiot and Yin? Priceless! Anyway, if Kisame stays, I'll stay."

"I can't stay!!" Kisame shouted. "I'm actually evil!!"

"You can't be all that evil, you're a fish."

"I'm not a fish!"

"You're part shark, and shark's are related to fish, classified AS fish, therefore the logical answer is: you're a fish."

Kisame sighed, than said, "Itachi, I don't have a reason for joining Akatsuki other than I'm evil. I didn't do anything noble."

"I don't think you look all that evil," Naruto spoke.

Kisame glared at him, as he looked at him innocently.

"I'll try and stay, for Itachi and Sasuke, but not for the deranged fruit."

"I'm a fruit?!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Well, you're an orange in fact." Kisame said. "One that I hope I never have to eat, I might get sick."

Naruto turned around, crossing his arms, thinking. _Is everyone sure the Akatsuki are evil? They're all pretty childish._

"So what should we do?" Sasuke asked softly. "There's a war going on and all, so we can't really take it all so easy."

"Hmmm... Maybe we should go find Neji..." Naruto muttered.

Sasuke flinched. "Where is he? Yin and Akatsuki will be looking for him."

"He's... away. Somewhere out of the village with his team."

"Then he should be safe if he's with them," Sasuke answered.

"No... I don't think he will... I have a bad feeling about it for some reason."

"Probably because of the Dark Byakugan," Itachi provided. "He might be going into the Test, in which he might need some people there to help him from killing everyone."

"Well, let's go. Anything beats waiting here until the war's over."

---

Lee was getting aggravated. Neji still had Sakura, and he was still in his crazy possessed state. He wouldn't come back down to earth, literally. He could see that Sakura was beginning to lose consciousness, her eyelids drooping and her face going slack. Her body relaxed as she slowly began to hang limp in Neji's arms. Lee couldn't even imagine why Neji was only holding her to begin with, you'd think he'd want to do something besides float with her in his arms. But apparently not. Lee could see that Sakura's skin was burning from the excessive heat radiating off of his comrade's body.

He wished he could brake out of the roots holding him, but no matter how hard he strained, how hard he tried to twist, he couldn't even make his body move, let alone the roots. All he could move was his head, and a lot of help that would be! He was terrified that Neji might hurt Sakura, might grow vicious or something and... what? Bite her? He was pretty sure Neji wasn't a vampire, but one could never be too sure with freaky techniques. But he was deluding himself. Neji must still have some kind of hold on himself, or he would have obviously done something to Sakura, done anything to anyone, by now. But he hadn't, so what was Neji really doing than?

Lee tried to throw himself forward, but failed. He wished that Jiraiya-sama would come let him out, so he could do something, _anything_, to save Sakura. But even Gama wasn't acting. All the stupid toad was doing was sitting on the ground, apparently thinking about who knew what! He started to grow even angrier at the thought of that stupid toad being called out to do nothing. Only that damned toad and Jiraiya-sama could do anything to save Sakura, they were the only ones that were on this side of the barrier and not tied to the ground with thick roots.

"Jiraiya-sama!!" Lee shouted, seething. "We have to do something!"

"Like what Lee?" Jirayia called. "Do you have any idea what? No? Neither do I, only this stupid toad does and he won't speak. Hey, stupid toad," he stomped on Gama's back, "do you have and clue what to do yet?"

"Yes," Gama spoke.

"What?!" everyone shouted at the same time.

"Nothing," Gama answered. "We can do nothing."

"Nothing?!" Lee screamed. "That is your solution?! NOTHING!! That is a stupid solution! There has to be something!!"

"There isn't any I can come up with. Do you want to hear why? The story behind the Dark Byakugan?"

"Sure!"

"It was a very long time ago, when the Hyuuga's were still very respected, but still a long time ago," Gama began. "A war broke out amongst the Nations, and havoc ran loose. It was so terrible that even the Tailed Beasts were disturbed by it, and came to fight for whomever they felt was the more correct of the Nations, whether big or small.

"So the war raged on for years with barely any results. The Tailed Beasts fought amongst themselves and destroyed many small villages around were they fought. But nothing was working to end the war. So the leader of the Hyuuga's at the time, Masaru Hyuuga, came up with an idea. Together him and some fellow comrade's came up with a formula for a new variant of their Byakugan. They soon learned that it could only be used on children, all the adults died. No one was sure if the children would live when they became an adult or not. But it was a necessary risk. Or so they believed.

"So they used it on children between the ages of eight to sixteen. But soon after, the children were still dying from the Test. The Test is a test of pain that tries to see if you can live up to the techniques expectations, it rarely appears on any eye technique, but it always appeared on the Dark Byakugan," Gama explained. "But anyway, Masaru searched for a way to end the frequent Test, but he couldn't find a way. Than, suddenly, it worked. No body knew why or how, just that none of the children were dying from the Test. The Test still appeared, but they wouldn't die. The Hyuuga's passed it off like it was nothing, just a miracle.

"But one thing they didn't expect came to pass." Gama paused, waiting for someone to ask what this _'something'_ was.

"Wh-what happened?" Lee croaked, fear gripping his insides. He wasn't sure if he really wanted to know what the answer would be, but he forced himself to listen.

"All twenty of them, all twenty children, became worse than the Tailed Beasts put together... and they were that strong singly. Every child reeked havoc upon our world, not just Japan. The Tailed Beasts fled, the countries stop warring with each other, and all worked together to try and end the threat."

"Than, why is everyone still intact? Why are we no dead?" Lee demanded.

"Because, that same week, the children disappeared." Gama answered.

"Disappeared?" Jiraiya asked. "They just disappeared? No one knows where?"

"There was a rumor at the time about a clan that might have had a hand in it," Gama admitted.

"Who?" Gai demanded for the other side of the barrier.

"Uchiha," was the reluctant reply. "But Uchiha never admitted to anything."

"What about my Clan?" came a voice from Gai's side of the barrier.

Everyone turned to face Sasuke, Naruto and...

---

Shikamaru paced uncomfortably back and forth at the base of the Hokage Monument. The enemy was rarely coming to face the three of them, so they were pretty safe. But where was Kakashi? He had thought about sending out the other two to go search, or himself, but if Kakashi came back during the search, he'd have to wait. So he had discarded the idea. But worry was starting to incase him in its icy grip as he tried to calm his nerves. He didn't want to lose anyone else to Akatsuki.

"Oh man," Kiba groaned, sliding down to the ground in exhaustion. "My feet hurt like hell, and I'm tired beyond belief. If this war doesn't end soon, I'm going to fall asleep during a fight." Akamaru barked in agreement.

"Than we'll fail," Shikamaru informed.

Kiba looked up at him, a serious look on his face. "Oh lighten up, will ya? No need to be so grumpy."

"Um... guys..." Hinata spoke up. "I think they're coming."

The three of them, including Akamaru, turned to look at where she pointed, and sure enough, there were the four of them running over to meet them. Shikamaru sighed in relief, so nothing had happened to them. And why should he '_lighten_' up? He was just worried for his friends, and why shouldn't he be? He had every reason to worry. And he wasn't trying to act grumpy, he was just agitated and aggravated.

"Sorry we're late!" Kakashi called, coming to a stop in front of them. "We were held up by Naruto."

"Naruto?" Shikamaru asked, looking at Kiba and Hinata, smiling joyously that, at least a while ago, Naruto had still been intact to his body... hopefully. Kiba jumped up, exited, and Hinata looked worried, but happy all the same. "Is Naruto okay? What happened during his fight with Sasuke? Did everything go well? That stupid female Akatsuki didn't do anything, right?"

"Calm down!" Kakashi chuckled. "No, everything's fine. Naruto's okay, as is Sasuke. Sasuke has decided to stay in Konoha and leave Orochimaru." Hinata smiled happily, so Naruto finally succeeded. "I guess that would mean everything went well. Um, don't know what happened with the female Akatsuki member, Yin they said her name was. Also said to watch out for her, that she's more dangerous than the others. Naruto and Sasuke were going to check up on Neji, Naruto said that he felt that something was wrong and had to go check."

"What about Itachi and Kisame?" Ino spoke.

"Oh yeah! Almost forgot! Itachi and the fish are here too!"

"I'm pretty sure they figured that much out, Kakashi-sensei," Chouji informed.

"Well, fine, I'm sure they did," Kakashi said. "They are now staying, or going to try and stay, in Konoha with Sasuke."

"What?!" Shikamaru, Hinata, and Kiba shouted.

"They're going to stay with Sasuke. They quit Akatsuki. Something having to do with Itachi saving Sasuke from dying and Sasuke begging him to stay because he isn't evil, Itachi that is. Itachi wouldn't stay unless Kisame stayed and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. It went on and on about stuff and deranged fruits..."

"Okay..." Kiba mumbled. "I thought Naruto was the only idiot... Guess it's all four..."

"So, what's the plan?"

"Okay," Shikamaru began, becoming serious again. "Okay, Hinata, I'm gonna need you to be our scout, to make sure we're not surprised by an odd combination of bunched together Akatsuki members. But first off, I believe I've figured out their positions. Okay, Konoha is like a circle," he grabbed a stick and knelt down, drawing one in the dirt. " Here is the front gate," he drew a N at the top, to signify North. "I believe Akatsuki is trying to close us off from the outside, so I believe that they have positioned themselves on four sides of Konoha. Pein and his girlfriend are up here," he drew two X's at the top of the circle. He labeled one with an P and one with a G. "From reports within my thinking time, it was reported that the clay user and a man named Tobi, described as a man with a orange finger print mask, are to the west of Konoha." He drew two more X's to the left side of the circle and labeled them with a D and with a T. " Here is the Hokage Monument, and us," He drew a rectangle to the south and an X labeled 'US.' "And to the east of Konoha it was reported that an Akatsuki member with a plant head... Well he was here." He drew an X to the east and labeled it U for unknown. I believe that there should be another Akatsuki member with this guy, although I'm unsure who, so I'll just leave a blank X next to him.

"Alright, it would only make sense that there would be two somewhere around the Hokage Monument." Shikamaru went on, looking to see if he had their attention. When he was sure he did, he said, "I don't have any reports of anyone being to the south, however. But that is and important place to check, it has the refuges going towards Sanctuary, but they should be pretty safe with Konohamaru and company, they're pretty strong. So we need to avoid Orochimaru and his giant snake, who I believe will be our signal."

"Signal?" Kiba asked, confused.

"Let me guess," Shino spoke. "Akatsuki can't go ahead of plan with Orochimaru in the town, because he's with them. He's suppose to kill as many as possible and than retreat, where Akatsuki will go according to plan."

"Exactly! Just that I believe that whatever they plan, there is too much buildings on the outer perimeter, as if they can't use the jutsu or whatever in such a packed together place. So, we need to defeat them BEFORE Orochimaru finishes. So, let me make this quick. We need to go here first," Shikamaru drew a line from them to Deidara and Tobi. "I don't know why, but I just have the feeling that this Tobi guy shouldn't be taken lightly. So, first Hinata, Kiba, you'll enter from behind them, the west. Hinata, take out the clay user's chakra first, we know he can blow us all up. Kiba, you hold off Tobi. Next, as a distraction, Ino and Chouji, you'll enter from the north. By than, Hinata, make sure you have Deidara's chakra disabled, if not, I'll step in and hold him down while you do, if they are disabled, I need you to take him out and all of you go against Tobi. We don't want to reveal all of us to them, in case they have members hiding to alert them. But if we need to, Kakashi and I will come in from the east. Hopefully they'll be slightly scared and expect an attack from the south. So they'll be wary.

"Next, now listen here, this part I kind of made up on the spot. I know who is to the north, west, and east, but I'm not sure if anyone is to the south, although I'm pretty sure there is. Therefore, it was either suppose to be Itachi and Kisame, or that Yin girl. If it's that Yin girl, we don't know anything about her, just that she's more dangerous than the rest, according to Sasuke and them. So, Hinata, you'll defiantly need to scout here, careful, to make sure that we're not surprised. We can't bare to lose, so we'll all just go straight on and attack her, no questions asked. But Hinata, I don't like putting you in danger like this, but once more you'll be the most important part of the plan, you must disabled her chakra network while we back you up. Everyone else we will do the same way as the first, except the leader in the north. Hinata, you'll be fighting him too..."

"Don't worry, Shikamaru," Hinata said, smiling. "I've trained for this stuff, just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't fight them."

"Well... I didn't mean that... Just because you're a girl..." he stuttered.

"It's okay, I understand," she said.

Shikamaru nodded. "Than let's move out."

---

"Akatsuki?!" Lee shouted angrily.

Sasuke's eyes were on Sakura in Neji's arms. She seemed to be conscious enough that Sasuk's voice brought her fully awake. She started to struggle, and Naruto called out her name, running at the barrier and pulling at it fiercely.

"That won't work," Gai informed.

"Shut-up! It has too!" Naruto screamed.

"He's going to hurt himself," Itachi muttered, leaning towards Sasuke. "You better stop the idiot, that's poisoned."

"I noticed," Sasuke replied. "Hey! You idiot! Pay closer attention to the damn roots, they're poisoned! If you don't let go soon, you're going to burn-"

"OW!" Naruto screamed, letting go.

"Yourself. Too late."

"Is there nothing we can-" Naruto saw Jiraiya. "HEY! Why haven't you stopped him you pervy sage?!"

"Pervy sage?" Kisame asked.

"Yeah, he's a pervert. The writer of 'Icha Icha Paradise,'" Gai answered. Kisame just nodded slowly, looking at Jiraiya like he was biggest idiot in the world, a look of disgust creeping onto his face.

"I've tried to stop him Naruto, I can't!" Jiraiya yelled.

"Than why aren't you stopping Orochimaru?!" Naruto shouted.

Jirayia opened his mouth, than closed it.

"Ha! You don't know why, do you?!" Naruto exclaimed.

Sasuke eyed the rope, than shrugged. Walking up to it, he simply grabbed it.

"Sasuke-" Naruto began.

The roots seemed to disintegrate in his hands, all the way across the barrier. In its place stood... nothing.

"How'd you do that?" Naruto asked, astonished as much as everyone but Itachi and Kisame.

Sasuke ignored him and walked up to Lee. He did the same thing to the roots surrounding him. Once free, Lee ran towards Neji, there was only one problem...

"I can not reach!" Lee shouted.

"No duh," Sasuke muttered, pushing him roughly out of the way. "Move it you dobe."

Standing below Neji, Sasuke looked up.

"Simple, never been anything easier," Sasuke muttered to himself. "Guess it's time to summon _that_."

Sasuke's hands moved so fast it was hard to see them. He bit his thumb, allowing blood to course out, and slammed his hand on the ground. A large cloud of smoke rose into the air.

"The jutsu that Orochimaru hasn't even seen, humph. One say I'll kill him with it." Sasuke muttered.

When the cloud of smoke disappeared, in its place lay a large black dragon, curled around Sasuke, its tail flicking about only slightly. Naruto had never seen something so big. He was glad Sasuke summoned it away from everyone, around him and Lee, and didn't crush them all.

Naruto stood, transfixed even more than a moment ago.

"Oi, wake up you," Sasuke spoke to the dragon.

A large rumble that Naruto took for a yawn, erupted from the dragon's mouth. One blood red eye open and looked at Sasuke.

"Who are we killing today, Sempai?" the dragon asked.

"No one today, Ryuu, at least at the moment," Sasuke answered. "There's a war in Konoha right now, I've betrayed Orochimaru and Akatsuki."

"It's about damn time," the dragon, Ryuu, grumbled. He seemed to have a sudden thought and asked, "What about those Karin, Suigetsu and Juugo kids?"

Sasuke didn't answer.

"Hmmm, never mind then," Ryuu spoke. He stretched out, and looked at Sasuke again. "So, what's the problem?"

"The Hyuuga has Dark Byakugan," Sasuke said, like that was answer enough.

"Ah, how dreadful. Yin got to him than?"

"Yep," he responded.

"Alright than, what do you want me to do Sempai?"

Sasuke paused a moment, looking around at everyone's expectant faces.

"We're saving the girl he has, Sakura," Sasuke said.

"Hmmm, do you like her like you love-"

"Shut up!" Sasuke interrupted.

"Hmmm, okay than, Sempai."

"Now, we can't kill the Hyuuga, or harm Sakura, understand? I need you to help me block any attacks and to fly me in the air."

Ryuu looked up at Neji, than back down at Sasuke.

"Can do," he replied. "No, tell this green freak to move."

"It is Lee! Not green freak!" Lee exclaimed.

"Whatever," Ryuu grumbled. "Now move, before I eat you without Sempai's approval."

Lee shrieked and jumped out of the way at the dame time as Sasuke was jumping on top of Ryuu, the dragon spreading out to its full height.

"Alright, let's do this," Ryuu spoke.

Naruto watched from above, too amazed to move. The size of Ryuu still overwhelmed him, and, even worse... Sasuke was still cooler than him...

Sasuke stood atop Ryuu's massive head, now eye to eye with Neji.

"Neji, give me Sakura," Sasuke ordered.

A high-pitched whine seemed to erupt from within Neji, and Sakura shut her eyes in pain.

"Sakura!" Sasuke exclaimed.

At the silent command, Ryuu swung his tail out, to wrap Neji in it.

Neji flew out of the way.

"This is going to get serious," Ryuu informed.

"I know, just try and not to hurt him beyond repair."

"Same to you," Ryuu said.

With that, Ryuu lunged forward. Just in time Neji flew upwards, escaping him. At the same instant, another, higher pitched sound erupted from Neji, and Sasuke fell to his knees, holding his head in agony.

"Sasuke!" Sakura had freed her mouth. "Sasuke!"

"Sakura!" Sasuke forced himself to stand. "Sakura, just hold on a little longer!"

Sakura screamed out in pain as Neji's claws dug deep into her left arm.

"Sakura!"

Ryuu lunged once more, this time paying close to Neji's movements, bidden by Sasuke and his Sharingan. A ball of flame appeared in Neji's left hand, and he threw it at Sasuke. Ryuu spun sideways, Sasuke keeping on with his chakra. Immediately he spun right side up again, Sasuke staring deeply into Neji's eyes.

Immediately Neji was in front of him, atop Ryuu.

"Hey, get the bastard off me, Sasuke!" Ryuu exclaimed.

Sasuke ignored him.

"Neji," Sasuke spoke. "Let her go."

Neji's eyes bore into him. Sasuke knew that Neji was fighting against this madness, which was why he hadn't let the full power be unleashed. But Sasuke also knew that if he didn't hurry, Neji couldn't hold out much longer, Sakura would die. He had to subdue the Dark Byakugan.

"Ryuu, fly higher into the air," Sasuke ordered. "Where we can't be seen."

"Why-"

"Just do it," Sasuke replied.

"Sasuke, wait!" Naruto exclaimed. But Sasuke was already gone.

"Sakura!" Lee shouted.

Naruto stood staring up into the clouds, where Ryuu had disappeared.

"He'll be back," Itachi laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I-I know..." Naruto mumbled. "I just don't want to let him out of my sight, I feel like he'll leave again..."

Itachi smiled sadly at him.

"Don't worry," he said. "He won't."

"I wonder what's happening up there," Gai said.

"I hope Neji will be alright," Ten-Ten muttered. "And Sakura..."

The clouds came together, the sky darkened, and rain started to pour.

"Rain is always an omen," Naruto muttered.

"But an omen for whom?" Itachi asked. "It doesn't mean its Sasuke or them, it could be in Konoha."

"Why was Akatsuki here?" Naruto asked.

"I-I don't know. I refused to fight, so they wouldn't allow me that information."

"I know," Kisame asked. Everyone turned to him. "But you'll probably want to kill me for not telling you yet."

"What?"

"They are here for the other two Hyuuga's, the girls, to give the Dark Byakugan," Kisame spoke.

"You bastard!" Itachi shouted. "Why didn't you at least tell me?!"

"Well..."

"They're here for my daughters!?" Hiashi shouted.

"Kind of-"

An explosion sounded.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted.

Everyone turned to look at the sky, where a second ago the explosion had happened..

Everyone waited in grim silence, until suddenly the clouds parted in a circular shape, sun shining threw them. You could dimly see Sasuke falling, with, apparently, Sakura in his arms.

"Sasuke!"

Ryuu, holes torn in his wings, flew out of the clouds, diving after them. Flying underneath, Sasuke and Sakura fell onto his back.

"Sasuke!" Naruto started to run towards where Ryuu landed. "Sakura!"

Sasuke slipped off of the dragon when Ryuu lowered himself. Sakura clutched him, wincing in pain. Both of their clothes were torn and bloody, and Sasuke limped.

"What did you do?" Jiraiya asked him.

"Subdued his Byakugan, he's on Ryuu's back," Sasuke coughed.

"So it was true that the Uchiha's could subdue it..." Gama muttered.

Sasuke nodded. "Sakura, you alright?"

"Yes, thanks Sasuke," she gasped.

"Sasuke, you stay with Sakura and Neji, we need to get to Hinata and Hinabi, Yin is after them." Naruto said.

"I want to come," Sakura growled. "She did that to Neji, you don't know the physical strain on his body that causes."

"But-"

"I'm coming too," Neji's voice choked. He fell forward, off Ryuu. Ryuu's tail swished out and grabbed him.

"When you need to get down, you tell me, not just climb off," Ryuu reprimanded. "Especially in your state."

"I'm fine," Neji muttered. Ryuu lowered him to the ground. He was in a worse condition than Sakura and Sasuke both put together. Sakura stumbled over to him.

"Here, let me heal you," she ordered.

"No, heal yourself and Sasuke first-"

"No protesting, you're in worse shape than us."

While Sakura went to work, they Naruto and Jiraiya divided everyone up into teams. Team One, who would be going after Hinabi, consisted of Sasuke; Sakura; Neji, he had to be with Sasuke in case the Byakugan too over; Itachi; Lee; and Gai. Team Two, which would be going after Hinata, consisted of Naruto, Jiraiya, Kisame, Hiashi and Ten-Ten.

"Hinabi should be going to the Sanctuary, or be there already," Hiashi informed. "You guys be careful."

Everyone nodded. When Sakura was done healing Sasuke's wounds and Sasuke preformed the little healing jutsu he knew on her, the groups broke off.

"Follow me," Naruto said to his group. "I have a feeling of where they are!"

---

"Konohamaru, slow down a little," Hinabi complained. "You're walking like my father when he's late for a clan meeting!"

"Sorry," Konohamaru said, smiling. "I just want to get you to safety."

He slowed down, and together they walked through the forest to the Sanctuary, alone.

"Konohamaru," Hinabi whispered suddenly. "There's someone following us!"

"I know," he whispered back. "It's Akatsuki, just keep walking and act natural."

"We can't lead them to the others!"

"I know," he smiled slightly. "Just trust me. I know what I'm doing."

"Maybe on a regular Akatsuki, but your trap has already been disarmed," a voice came.

Konohamaru and Hinabi spun around, facing a woman in Akatsuki robes.

"Get behind me Hinabi!" Konohamaru ordered, moving in front of her.

"Ah, so romantic, I think you like her," the woman smiled mischievously. "Too bad she'll soon be with Akatsuki."

"I won't let you touch her!" he shouted.

"You can't beat my Roi'ken, it's impossible," she sneered.

"Well I'll be the first than!" he shouted.

"We shall see," she said. She began to charge.

---

Hinata and Kiba snuck up behind Tobi and Deidara.

"They're real big idiots, you know," Kiba mumbled. "Arguing over art."

"It's not the same Tobi!" Deidara was shouting.

"But Sempai! I am telling you, I really saw it! Yin's clay pigeon looks exactly like yours!"

"She can't make one! She said herself she sucks!"

Tobi didn't answer to that, instead he started dancing around Deidara, waving his hands in the air.

"Sempai loves Yin! Sempai loves Yin! Sempai loves Yin! And Yin loves Sempai!" he sang.

"Tobi! Shut up!"

"SENPAI!!!" Tobi shouted so loud Deidara reached out and smacked him.

"Sorry, reflex," Deidara said.

"Sempai! You hurt me!" he whined.

"I said sorry," Deidara answered. "What is it anyway?"

"There's someone watching us!"

"Okay, Hinata, move out," Kiba said.

"Right!" she spoke.

Together both of them moved towards them, only to see another Akatsuki appear in front of Tobi and Deidara.

"Tobi you idiot!" she shouted. "Don't go and say I love him!"

"Sorry Yin-sempai!" Tobi exclaimed.

Yin rolled her eyes and turned around.

"Okay, where are you Hyuuga girl?" Yin called out.

"Kiba, should we-"

"No," Kiba whispered. "Don't move-"

"There you are," Yin's voice was behind them. They froze. "You're coming with me Hyuuga."

"Huh?" Hinata turned around. Yin's hand snatched at her, but Hinata ducked it, tumbling to her side to avoid her.

"Why do you want me?!" Hinata exclaimed.

"For the same reason as your brother and little sister. I need new subjects."

"Hinabi?!"

"Be a good girl and don't make me hurt you." Yin spoke.

"I'm not going anywhere!" Hinata yelled.

"Fine than," Yin said. "It's time to show you the Roi'ken."

"Hinata!" Kiba exclaimed, running to her side. "You won't take Hinata you bitch!"

"We'll see," she sneered.

---

Konohamaru blocked the punch, skidding backwards only slightly.

"Is this your pathetic Roi'ken?" he asked. "If so, everyone you fought must have been pretty weak!"

"You little bastard!" she shrieked. "I'll show you the Roi'ken if you truly desire to die!"

Konohamaru felt an impact to the air and was hurled backwards, flying through several trees.

"And that was only the lowest level!" Yin screamed.

"Heh, that was pathetic!" Konohamaru shouted. "I can beat you easily!"

He ran at her, a clone forming next to him. Together they made the Rasengan just like Naruto had showed him.

"Ha! Weak!" Yin yelled.

Suddenly the Rasengan was out, his clone was gone, and he was being pummeled from every side with what felt like really sharp kunai at every inch of his body.

"Konohamaru!" Hinabi yelled. "Move!"

Konohamaru collapsed to the ground.

"Konohamaru!"

Yin turned, a blood curdling look in her eyes, which were violet and dimmed to white in the centers. Hinabi backed up, frightened.

"You're coming with me!" Yin shouted.

"N-No!"

"Come on princess," she hissed.

"Hey you psycho bitch! Leave Hinabi alone!" Konohamaru was behind Yin. He spun her around and punched her hard in the face, knocking her over.

Konohamaru was panting in a rage, his clothes torn to almost shreds, blood coating him from head to foot. His eyes met Hinabi's and he smiled.

"Don't worry, Hinabi," he said. "I promise she won't take you."

Hinabi blushed and smiled. "O-Okay."

"You fucking little bastard," Yin growled, standing up. "How'd you live that?"

"Because I can't die yet, Hinabi isn't safe. What kind of death woud it be if I let my friend be taken by a cunt like you?"

Yin growled and kneed Konohamaru, knocking him backwards.

"Leave boy, or you'll get hurt!"

"Konohamaru, just let her take me-"

"NO!" he shouted, tackling Yin.

Yin's body melted into the ground. Suddenly he was taken from behind and slameed against a tree, Yin's flesh pressing against his back. "You seem suicidal, just like that Naruto boy. He must teach you. You want the full power of Roi'ken? Fine!"

"Konohamaru! No!" Hinabi screamed. "Don't! Get out of here! Let her take me!! I can see her chakra, it's frightening! You have to go!" She had tears in her eyes.

"Hinabi! Run!" Konohamaru ordered. "NOW!!"

"No-"

"NOW!! She'll kill me anyway! I don't want to die knowing I failed to save you! Please Hinabi! Let me die honorably!!"

"Konohamaru!"

"RUN!!"

She nodded, turning, running through the forest, sobbing.

"Die boy!" Yin shouted.

Konohamaru's scream was unlike any Hinabi had ever heard, could ever imagine. It ripped the air, made Hinabi shiver as she stumbled through the forest. She tripped and fell, sobbing his name.

Konohamaru's screams died out. Hinabi cried into her hands. She couldn't make herself move, couldn't bare the agony of Konohamaru's death. They had become such good friends in the past year...

"Hello Hyuuga," Yin's voice said from behind. Hinabi froze.

A hand pulled her roughly to her feet.

"Let's give you the damn Dark Byakugan now so you won't be any trouble to take," Yin growled. She slammed Hinabi to a tree. Hinabi noticed Konohamaru's blood covering her. Staring into Yin's eyes as if she was already dead, she prepared for the pain she knew would come.

"Go ahead," Hinabi spoke emotionlessly. "I don't care."

Yin smirked.

"Too bad."

Yin's eyes seemed to ripple like waves in Hinabi's vision, than everything else seemed to swim. But Hinabi's eyes were held by Yin's. Pain flared in her stomach, she gasped in agony and felt her body go limp in Yin's arms, yet her gaze wouldn't tear away from Yin's.

She distantly heard her name being called. She saw Yin's body be torn away from her and saw the ground spiraling up to meet her.

"Hinabi!" the voice called again.

She saw Yin's body collapse to the ground. Felt arms wrap around her.

"Hinabi!" she finally recognized the voice.

"Konohamaru..." she gasped. "How are you alive?"

"I have ways."

Hinabi embraced him fiercely, sobbing in relief.

"I thought I had lost you!" she cried.

"Like I told you earlier," Konohamaru said, lifting her face to his with a gentle hand. "I made a promise, I wouldn't let her take you."

Hinabi stared into his eyes, blushing.

"Thank you."

"What happened here?" came a voice.

"Oh, hi Gai-sensei," Hinabi blushed and pulled away, turning her face away.

"Wh-What happened?" Sakura stuttered, staring at Yin's body.

"You're too late, I've already protected Hinabi," Konohamaru said.

"Here, let me heal you two..." Sakura muttered, astonished.

"She tried to give her Dark Byakugan," Itachi said. "And he countered it. I'm surprised, you shouldn't have been able to get within twenty feet of her..."

"The power of love can do anything," Gai informed.

Konohamaru and Hinabi both blushed.

Neji walked up and knelt before Hinabi.

"You're safe, thank goodness she couldn't complete it." he whispered, throwing his arms around her. "Konohamaru, thank you."

Konohamaru just nodded. "I promised her." He looked away while Sakura finished healing him.

* * *

Naruto© Masashi Kishimoto  
I don't own Naruto, but I wish I did:)  
The ideas here are mine, if you wish to borrow an idea, just ask!

Please comment!

Next time on Naruto, A New Villain: Captured?

While Konohamaru might have saved Hinbai, Hinata has yet to be saved, will Naruto get to her in time?


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